I've also noticed whenever Luffy is asleep he'll be up and vice versa but not always ofc just not both of them are asleep rarely if not ever they trust each other to keep the crew safe and protect them
this isnt true at all, oda stated in an sbs that everyone in the crew takes guard shift, zoro does sleep a low amount but hes not doing it because hes guarding
His face when he sees Luffy for the first time after Whole Cake says everything. He rarely emotes, let alone smile in joy. The moment he sees his closest friend and captain, it’s in instant of pure beauty.
One of the greatest Zoro moments for me is when Usopp tries to return to the crew. He establishes two things to both the audience and the crew: he’s absolutely the first mate and that this is no longer a kid’s game
I really love that scene too. Zoro specifically says if the first thing he says isn’t an apology he won’t accept it. So he pretended to not hear him until he said his apology
Right but also emphasizing it was never a kid's game, and that reality has a slow way of sinking in, making Ussop's motivations for his separation have less to do with "playing pirate" or him wanting to be captain, but the thought of a crewmember being cast off for being weak or broken. Since he considers himself the weakest of the crew, in Ussops mind he is the next on the chopping block. Zoro understands this and puts his foot down that Ussop must apologize to Luffy and the rest before being allowed back in because they can't have someone on board who wouldn't lay down their life for their crew, and at that point, all Ussop could think about was Merry and his own weakness. Zoro deeply understands the 'not being strong enough to protect those you love' aspect of Ussop better than Ussop does because Ussop was terrified he would have to give up a friend in order to grow stronger when, in reality, Merry had reached the end of her life. She hadn't been built for the strenuous voyages they would encounter past Water7, she had barely been able to handle Sky Island, and that was what broke her keel. Zoro analyzes this calmy and knows Ussop will eventually calm down and do the right thing; admit he is weak but despite that weakness, he has his own kind of strength and he truly belongs with the crew. Ussop's greatest fear at that point was being one of them, but not being good enough for them and he needed to learn that no matter his physical strength he still had a role to play that no one else could, the Sogeking, the sniper, their eye in the sky their handy engineer who could make them all sorts of cool gadgets. Zoro knows just how valuable Ussop is to the crew and after Ennis lobby, Ussop ( and the rest of the crew) began to see it too.
And I think it was absolutely perfect because they just challenged the world government and are getting closer and closer to the new world. If they just continue to let things happen the way they were and let Usopp back with not much consequence for challenging his captain, this makes the captain look weaker and also kinda like oh what you did wasn’t really that bad. I think Zoro even says something similar to that. He keeps a level head and cares so much about the people he’s with that he will not allow bull crap to be created within the crew hence why he needed to let Usopp know more than anyone, what you did isn’t cool and you need to prove that you legit want to return and trust in Luffy and the crew. If there’s no trust, why return?
@@Avatargirl38 Amazing comment displaying how zoro really is the backbone of the crew as he sees everything for how it is because if there isn't a zoro, jimbei, or robin on the crew they would've quickly crumbled and fall.
@@r3medyproductions omg that part when Luffy tells Usopp to burn the world governments flag, and he does it without flinching!?!?!?. I get goosebumps every time, god damn that arc was good ; u ;
The fact that Oda had Zoro yeeted first on shabody is very telling. The protector was gone. They all tried so hard to save him, so desperate to keep him. He's literally *always* been in the crew. And then, when Zoro got sent off in front of all of them and all they could do was watch, you could truly feel the fear in the crew. The horror in Luffy's voice.
Yes and having robin be taken last was also important because i feel like robin is the one who absolutely needs the crew the most. Of course they all need eachother but i think robin is the only one who most certainly would be dead without them and who needs the family the most.
yeah the horror in Luffy's voice was sad he was genuinely frightened and shook to his core that one of his best friends was "killed" so easily I had already been a bit spoiled on Kuma's powers before hand but that didn't negate any of the raw emotion I felt in his screams it reminded me of the one piece movie where they all go to a mysterious island and his entire crew gets kidnapped to be sacrificed and when he finds out and believes them all to be dead he's just so distraught he gives up on fighting back and almost dies
Eh , pretty much they were against Pacifistas , 2 Advanced Haki users , Sentomaru and Kizaru with Kizaru additionally being a skilled swordsman and the user of the Pika Pika no Mi and well Kuma.Their chances of victory were literally 0 even if everyone were ok.Back then Aokiji without dropping some sweat brought them all to their knees.The Sabaody battle was literally overkill at that stage. Now they have evened up a bit on their crew entirely but honestly only Luffy can keep Kizaru in check as shown.
One of my favourite parts from the fight with Kuma was Ussop initially telling Zoro to protect him. But once Ussop realised Zoro was injured and down, Ussop instantly overcame his fear to protect Zoro.
I think that Zoro bowing to Mihawk and asking to be trained by him during the time skip is also a form of punishment he imposed on himself for his failure to protect the crew in Sabaody
I don’t think it’s punishment per say, more about him needing to do it in order to find the strength to help his captain. It takes a real man to ask for help from someone he deems to be an enemy
Yeah because if that situation never happened most likely he would’ve continued learning the way of the sword his way which might’ve worked but because like you said he failed to do his duty as first mate he sucked up his pride for the crew.
I don't think punishment is the right word, he was willing the throw his pride as an individual for the sake of his captain and crew, I mean to ask help from the man who you see as your enemy and the man who you want to surpasse for the sake of your dream and your childhood friend dream and beg him to train you is humiliating but to do it for your own sake and the crew. Was amazing.
Great video about Zoro's character. When I watched it I realized two things: 1. Zoro does not have sleep schedule. He takes 2 hour naps throughout the 24 hours (It's confirmed by Oda in SBS). He knows that he needs to be alert on the Sunny 24/7 and doesn't want to be unavailable for a longer time. 2. He puts his hobbies away to train. The only time the crew can relax on an island and be incognito is when they're on Sabaody Archipelago (post time-skip) and Wano. Luffy and Ussop like to fish a lot and on SA we see Zoro wanting to go fishing but he doesn't do it on the Sunny. We see that he likes gambling in Wano. But on Sunny he trains all day because if he relax he will feel guilty that he doesn't train. He puts away his hobbies because he wants to be sure that he can protect his friends. I personally want to see Zoro's journey end by Zoro finally relaxing and enjoying his life
@@questioningespecialy9107 I mean yeah but it's not like they have an "appropriate" goal. They're trying to be the strongest in the world, death is a small consequence let alone not taking care of yourself lol.
@@SwanTeeth obviously it can be, but when he was a kid zoro was training to beat the stairs girl and on the merry he was training to be the strongest, it’s always out of competition or because he thinks he’s weak not as a hobby
@@mariaevens8969 if i remember correctly zoro, robin, jimbei and brook are the eldest. you might guess that by how they behave a little bit more serious and calm than the rest. with brook being the exception as the perverted music loving grandpa he is. i kind of miss some slight racism with brook to be honest haha
Zoro subverts the anime trope that a tragic backstory leads to strength. He shows that a normal person, if they try hard enough, can be great. You don’t need famous parents or insane talent or magic powers to be the best around.
@@sock312 I mean just because you are related to someone powerful or talented doesn´t mean you always had an advantage. Sanji is a good case on what is like to be the "weak" one in a family where they only cared about strenght and disregard everything else. Even Luffy and Ace who had very influential fathers still had to learn and train to become strong fighters. I know they still had the help of devil fruits but still count.
@@nidohime6233luffy is a reincarnation, Ace is the son of the pirate king, sanji is a cyborg, zoro we don’t know who his parents are to make a conclusion yet.
Sanji is my favorite. I read so many comments between zoro or sanji fans fighting and it's so stupid. They understand each other so well and it's just guys clashing egos but with respect there. Every serious person needs a goofy emotional friend and vice versa
@@davidburlingame6583 Right, they act like it's a crime to like both 💀💀💀💀. And even if you like one of them more, doesn't mean that you have to hate the other one 😭😭😭.
Mr morj did a really good analysis on his character, called "why there's no other fictional character like zoro". If you enjoyed this video and wish for some more I would give it a listen.
The zoro and sanji wano thing breaks my heart because sanji chose zoro believing that he’s the only one in the crew with sufficient physical AND mental strength to pull it off, therefore Sanji’s action shows how much he trusts and believes in zoro. Meanwhile, if push comes to shove, it would be the most heartbreaking thing for Zoro to experience because one, he’s a man of his words and since he made a promise, he has to respect it and actually do it. Two, it would go against every instinct he has as the guardian of the strawhats, against what he spent years of harsh training for which is protecting his crew from any type of danger and harm. To destroy that with his own hands?? Thank goodness we didn’t need to see it play out, it would obliterate me.
I'm so glad you talked about how Zoro is seen by lots of male fans as the 'wow so cool strong boy'. I've seen many an interpretation of the 'nothing happened' scene as a physical strength to aspire to, like it's the most badass thing on the planet. It was badass, but not because he was *strong* and withheld it, but that he was willing to go through it for his crew in the first place. That's strength.
I honestly think that the strenght lies in withholding information as to what happened to him but so does everybody else… Taking a hit was never seen as a feat of strength.
That scene reflects duty. “nothing happened.” Reflects the sentiment that his sacrifice although great was “nothing” because it is his duty. Which thematically represents his character as a Samurai, and his role as First Mate of the Crew. He shoulders the captain’s Burdens..Zoros entire character is centered around fulfilling the dreams of his friends, so much so he puts his own dream Second to the crew. This is a bad take all around lowkey.
What a strange assumption you make about male fans. Pretty much all men who watch that scene resonate with the sense of duty and loyalty that it represented. If anything, I think that men resonate with this scene in ways that women may not be able to fully understand. Maybe this lack of understanding is what leads women to project this simplistic idea of what they think men see in this scene.
Can we talk about how Zoro and Luffy are basically brothers for all intents and purposes and are sooo naturally in-tune to eachother's brainwaves, or lack there of, that they don't even need to talk to eachother and with just a glance they know how to go about shit. These two are true brothers.
This brought me to the light of Zoro and Sanji's relationship they act like they hate each other but I bet that they both know that they deeply care for each other
This might be my favorite introspective into Zoro. No one gives him credit for being the living protector that be is, except Luffy. One of my favorite scenes is that in Zou when they’re talking about what happened to Sanji and Luffy comes and sees him sitting outside listening and says, “Zoro, you’re worried about Sanji..” That’s why him and Luffy are my absolute favorite characters ever. Not overly emotional but also not just brutes, they care so much and they’re very in touch with others emotions
Nice analysis. I think a lot of One Piece you tubers stop at analyzing the world or plot theories or at most character's philosophies, but all the characters are so interesting and well written in ways that aren't blatantly obvious, and it's really neat to see someone analyze them as people further. I think Luffy has something going on kind of similar to Zoro with fear of failing to protect people, but it manifests very differently in him, and thats hella interesting from a character writing perspective.
@@Coolgamer..Sanji… I can see it now Trust because Sanji didn’t think Luffy wasn’t strong enough to defeat big mom but it was more so because he didn’t trust his family threatening his real family (Zeff and the crew)
YES. I've been telling my husband like his whole deal is fear of his loved ones dying. He's simple, obsessive, and anxious. He's obviously responsible for keeping the crew alive while Luffy is responsible for their dreams.
Zoro's arc from a guy who tell's Luffy that he'll kill him if he gets in the way of his dream, to the man who would lay down his life for Luffy's dream, and even further to the man who laid down his pride to his rival for the sake of Luffy's dream (which i would argue Zoro values higher than his life). Its such a great subtle story, and happens so naturally, but is so powerful when you see it. The angry people and the horny people only want to focus on the Zoro/Sanji dynamic, but Zoro and Luffy's friendship is so under-rated. All of the crew have their dream, but Zoro and Luffy have the bond that can only come from two people with equally insane dreams. Their reunion in Wano honestly got me teary, the joy on Zoro's face/voice when he finally saw Luffy again is true friendship ❤️
yeah it was odd when she said "the interesting thing about [the thriller bark scene] is how zoro treats sanji" like no the interesting and PIVOTAL thing about this scene is that Zoro was willing to sacrifice his dream to save Luffy's life. Like, that's huge for a character who is so determined and focused on his dream--a dream he was pursuing before he even met Luffy. And she didn't mention Zoro begging Mihawk to train him (and Mihawk recognizing that Zoro is doing it for Luffy's sake). I don't entirely disagree with the analysis overall but it's sad that Zoro's loyalty to Luffy, his captain, is so downplayed here when it's such a core aspect of Zoro's character.
@@ryoshockwave THIS RIGHT HERE like nothing wrong with the rest of the video but I thought she would touch of the loyalty and the incredible bond zoro has with luffy to the point of putting aside his ambitions (which even king sort of noticed) for luffy's
Another angle to his inferiority complex can be shown in his relationship to Luffy. In the beginning, Zoro openly tells Luffy that he'll kill him if he gets in the way of his dream. During Alabasta (though this probably started in Arlong Park), however, he realises how much he cares for his crew. I think the whole "cutting nothing to cut steel" thing in the fight with Mr. 1 can be interpreted as embracing your softer side. This is the first time he's been separated from his crew and has to protect them against enemies that he deems too dangerous for them. He grows stronger from a need to protect, contrasting Mr. 1, an assassin whose sole job it is to destroy. Fast forward to Thriller Bark, and in addition to what you've pointed out in the video, his love for his crew goes even beyond his and their safety. He's willing to put Luffy's dream (and by extension the rest of his crew's) above his, surely a development from the death threat at the start of the series.
Yes that times in perfectly in Alabasta, when Nami explains Vivi how they've grown to care for each other and that they've gained an additional goal that is making Luffy's dream real and have made it a priority over their own
In the manga he said "I'll have you cut your stomach open to say sorry" telling luffy he wasnt gonna kill him, he was gonna make him kill himself. Very metal.
What's amazing about it dude is that if you read Wanted fourth chapter, something Oda drew way before One Piece, you would hear an awfully familiar line from Ryuma, the Sword God himself to what Zoros Sensei told him when he was small, something Zoro remembered during his fight with Mr 1: The true value of a battle isn't in the feats you achieved or the spoils you have gained, it's in what you protected.
I've noticed Zoro's anxiety before but I think when he says to Hiyori "It's because I suck" (ref his fight with Killer and gettting injured) that's when it really hit home for me that Zoro isn't actually 100% sure of himself. I mean none of the characters are, not all the time. But Zoro doesn't think super highly of his skills at this point. High enough I guess, but not high enough that he's satisfied. If he wins but gets injured, that means in his mind that he sucks. So I am completely on board with this, big bouncy man milkies and all.
Two reasons Zoro survived Kuma.. 1. He needed to stay still to limit the blood loss (hilarious I know) and stay awake cause if he even closed his eyes he wouldn’t open them again. 2. He would never purposely do to Luffy what Kuina’s death did to him.
Basically he just absorbed pain.Had it been an Ursus Shock Zoro would have died.That attack just brought a 50 meter tall Oars to its knees and it was enough to slowly kill it.Even if it was still alive to open the Wall the Marines rose it died some minutes after. Brook's fruit always repeairs his wounds , just through some time.Sanji later in the story was proven to be a modified mutant basically which is why he was able to pull through the Ursus Shock and Enel's El Thor through heavy damage though.Zoro probably managed to run away somewhere to not be entirely affected from the shockwave.Tge other Straw Hats probably started running too considering the shock didn't kill them.That's why only Sanji and Brook were still standing after the attack.
It's so nice seeing someone acknowledge this side of Zoro too. On top of everything mentioned in this video, the fact that Zoro still uses three swords just shows just how anxious he feels about being stronger. He didn't feel strong enough with one sword so he got two, and he didn't feel strong enough with two so he got three. I'm not fully caught up but there's rarely ever any situations where he uses just one sword, it's almost always three, and at the bare minimum two. People in the show say "Wow he's so strong that he's able to use three swords" when in actuality that stemmed from him not feeling strong enough
Hearing powerscaling be reduced to "Mid-diffs, high-diffs, flips, flops, and tops" is absolutely hilarious. I enjoy powerscaling up until the point it gets out of hand and circular. And to be fair, I'm not really sure where that point is; it seems to change on a case to case basis lol Anyway, all analysis videos on Zoro are great. It's always dope to see people peel back the "tough guy hit hard" outer layer and get to the more meaty, overlooked stuff I've noticed Zoro's anxiety from time to time, but this video really hammers it home and makes it clear; this was awesome! 19:31 PLEASE, THAT VIDEO IDEA SOUNDS SO GOOD!
(marineford spoilers) Powerscaling hit a wall for me during Marineford, cause when ace died there was a huge wave of dudebro fans saying “wow aces character is lame and stupid, he turned around to fight akainu and lost, what a weakling.” like i couldnt believe media literacy comprehension was that far gone for some people
Zoro represents the backbone of the Straw Hats imo. A lot of his values, and ways of dealing with things help Luffy with the challenge of being a good captain. Like the majority of Water 7 and the tail end of Post Enies Lobby exemplify this. His words to Luffy about not just accepting Ussop back, without a heartfelt apology, show he's aware of what it means to support the crew in a way that fosters loyalty and growth instead of just naïve acceptance. Which makes the moment where he is relieved Usopp apologized so much more powerful...he genuinely cares, but wants to see his friends grow which in turn makes him a great role model.
I love Zoro because he is calm waters that run deep. But he is still a river with a singular path. Dude isn’t indestructible because he is super. He is indestructible because of what Ivankov said. He refuses to give up. Ever. For any reason. And so the world bends to him, or he bends himself. Whichever gives first. The man is just the embodiment of “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
@@Crysomandiaz And the world bends to either put an enemy on his path or a friend to yank him by the collar…. Usually the former and usually because they are bigger than the city and he just goes, “I should probably cut that.”
@@goat5944 Yes, but no. Luffy has a reason why he needs to be strong. Zoro is strong because he WANTS to be strong. Period. Before knowing Kuina and making their promise, he already wanted to be the strongest one, looking for people to fight against. This means that Zoro's reasons aren't thaaat deep. And they **don't need to be**. There are several sportspeople in real life that are just like that. Luffy IS a drive character, that's for sure, but when Zoro wants to portray a scene of it, he usually uses Zoro for it (he also does this with loyalty, and it doesn't mean that other characters aren't loyal, for example ^^). Oda uses characters related to some idea, to some thematic. And, YES, Luffy is drive, but he's primarily freedom and liberty (and other things, of course), while Zoro's character IS drive and loyalty (again: NO, this doesn't mean the others can't show these traits, I'm just saying that Oda uses certain characters more when he wants to address certain topics!).
I've never heard such a well thought out description of Zoro. I never really understood why I liked him so much, he was just always my favorite. But this made it a lot clearer. As a mega Zoro fan thank you for this video.
One of the only videos that actually talks about Zoro's masculinity as the effect to the fear or anxiety of failure/weakness cause. Such a small thing people fail to notice in this anime but its so perfectly woven into his character and story. I myself struggled to live a life being a man and having expectations that "I have to be a man" in certain situations. While I have grown to agree with a lot of them, it's the need and expectation that induces a lot of untold anxiety. LOTS of men nowdays don't talk about their emotion, and its not because they dont want to, but because they are afraid to. I think thats what makes me like the Sanji Zoro dynamic even more, because Sanji represents the other side of man, the emotional. Man I could go into a whole rant here too but the best thing about the characters in this manga is how real they feel.
I love the slow development of Zoro becoming more stoic. It's both really cool and depressing watching this guy who has no problem looking happy and laughing into the most steadfast and (mostly) emotionless warrior. He pretty much never openly laughs after Mihawk kicks his ass on the Baratie, with the only exception I've seen is the party at Vivi's castle at the end of Alabasta. He feels like he can't because he's pretty much the only one who gets how much stronger the threats on the Grand Line are getting.
Suprised there was no mention of Tashigi and the "relationship" if you can call it that with her and Zoro. I know in some instances she''s just a device to remind Zoro of Kuina, but I think it goes with along with what you had mentioned about his desire to protect his loved ones. Even if she's the enemy he still struggles with her in combat and other interactions.
I think he has a soft spot for her not only because she looks like Kuina but also he understands how unfair the position women are in when it comes to sword mastery. If Kuina had grown up, he would have already surpassed her and knowing that kinda hurts.
@@jessiesargent7212 there's kiku too. I think there's a point where Kiku calls herself a samurai, in which Zoro's attitude towards her and her power that changes completely.
I also noticed he’s a bit of a mother hen… like he has a tough exterior because of his fear… but there are definitely times when he’s outwardly sweet and caring, especially with Chopper! He really looks after Chopper and really cares for him, there was a scene in Water 7 when Chopper stands up and is trying to be scary and intimidating and Zoro turns around and claps for him, cause he knows this isn’t Chopper but he’s doing such a good job and Zoro is so proud!!!!! And of course the mother hens job is definitely to protect the chicks hehehe, I love Zoro. He has a hard shell but I think he has a lot of love and sweetness just barely concealed 😭
For a long time I thought introducing mihawk early in the series wasn't a great move but I eventually settled on that it was necessary for zoro to understand what absolute strength was. Even now, after more than a decade of one piece zoro still understands that he's not even close to the top but the top is now coming down to try to shut down the straw hats. He knows do or die time is drawing closer, and his time being the only one to have actually faced one of those near-mythical setting powerhouses before anyone else means he is the only one who really, truly understands the depth of the shit they're in.
When Luffy gets his first bounty we can see the crew surprised and celebrating, meanwhile Zoro's first thought is more stronger bounty hunters are gonna come after them
I'm so happy to see a video actually talking about one of the biggest reasons why I love Zoro, the man cannot accept a loss, cannot accept not being strong enough because if he's not that, then everything he's so desperately trying to keep safe won't be. Gosh this vid was really good! I wish you a wonderful day, it was a lovely watch ^^
Is all about control ... he is terrified of not being strong enough to be in control of the situation. He is one step away from sufering a panic attack, he shows a lot of signs of anxiety through the whole story
Loving these character specific portraits and a closer look at traits. It really is a breath of fresh air since so much of the OP RUclipsr sphere only centers around the world building, theories, and week to week discussion. Only subbed a video ago, but please keep these up!
I'm so glad you brought up the scene in Punk Hazard when Zoro got onto Luffy taking things seriously. Most people think he's just lecturing his captain for being careless (which he is), but he's also getting onto himself for losing to the Yeti Cool Brothers. He's yelling at himself as much as he's yelling at Luffy. That's why Sanji said he's so hard on himself.
I like that you pointed out Zoro’s anxiety because I never noticed it. I noticed Luffy’s because he’s a lot more expressive and literally says it at one point but Zoro’s is a lot more subtle.
Zoro, Guts- I grew up weak without direction or support. Looking back as a kid, I felt such vulnerability and never even thought about the future- growing up around people who only got high, drunk, in and out of jail, high school drop outs- I had no standard to look to. I grew up into a young adult with no direction, addiction, still physically weak.. I hate say but finding manga and a certain friend- I was shown strength, I was shown integrity, I was shown willpower. Now I seek to become the strongest version of myself that can possibly exist, the smart, the harshsest but most compassionate. An unreal, fictional level of motivation and willpower. I pray only to myself
I personnaly like how he's both "the responsible one" and "as dumb as Luffy" at the same time. He almost always looks calm and composed, increadibly reliable, and I love his relationship with every character of the crew. I think Sanji and him hate each other because Zoro's so prideful and Sanji's so self-depriciating.
I really appreciate this video. Maybe I'm a shitty anime watcher, and I know OP can be extremely "deceptive" with how many inane surface level details there are that have huge consequences or ramifications, but I never really looked past the surface level for a lot of these characters. Videos like these make me appreciate these works even more. Also, I think you're freaking hilarious lol, love the humor you have on your vids, as well as your YGO videos you've done in the past. Keep up the good work fam.
Zoro has some of the most iconic moments in anime/manga history that shape his character and shows us who he is and people really have the nerve to call him 2 dimensional. Paying attention to what zoro does and the things he says can completely change your life and how you view things. That’s what he did for me. He embodies loyalty, discipline, ambition, strength, and morality.
SPOILERS FOR ZORO'S WANO FIGHT . . One aspect I don't see talked much about Zoro is his struggles with Conqueror's Haki and why they exist. We've seen Zoro has the kind of will to stand at the top. He needs to have that determination to beat someone like Mihawk, and he has the self confidence and ambition anyone with Conqueror's Haki has. But we never see more than glimpses and hints for the longest time, and it's due to the friction between his dream and his loyalty to Luffy. We've seen time and time again Zoro show his loyalty to Luffy. Luffy is the first person he's met with ambitions to meet or even surpass his. Luffy gave Zoro a companion to work with towards their dreams again for the first time since Kuina, and so hes fiercely loyal. And yet at the same time Luffy's role as captain puts him above Zoro. Zoro's dreams are to be at the top (of swordsman) so Luffy HAS to be stronger than him for Zoro to remain in the crew. Zoro's code won't allow for less, but he also obviously doesn't want to leave the crew, they're his family. Pre-King fight, Zoro was still holding back. In his eyes he couldn't have Conqueror's Haki, because if he did that meant he wanted to be at the top, and thus above Luffy. King being too strong for Zoro to not use everything at his disposal, combined with Enma pulling everything out of him, forced Zoro to overcome that fear and really go all out. It really shows the internal struggle Zoro was having with being both equal yet subordinate to Luffy.
I loved this analysis of Zoro! He’s simple, but in a way that’s well written, well thought out and well developed. His simplicity is what makes him such a dynamic character. I can’t wait to see one about Sanji, if you do one. It’s so easy to reduce him to his obsession with women, but there’s a lot to him. Something I like about his dynamic with Zoro is how dissimilar they appear to be, but how alike they in the ways that they’re both self sacrificing, and how they both internalize their fears/sadness/anxiety.
Besides my top 3 characters (Luffy, Sanji, Robin) I would love to see a video that explores the how well Oda ties the themes of Usopp, Robin and Franky together so well during Water 7 and Enies Lobby . Like I can’t articulate it but all 3 build off each other really amazingly.
You absolutely nail what I LOVE about One Piece. So many people are in it for the fights and are massive Zoro Stans without actually getting what he’s about. I have absolutely adored all your one piece videos. Please keep it up!!!
I am legit so happy I found your channel because this definitely has to be one of the most well written, researched, and passionate video essay and character analysis of one of my favorite characters in all of anime. You've managed to depict such a delicate side of our favorite 3 sworded himbo and everything you said is backed up with so much evidence and attention to detail over the years. I will be eager to watch your other videos for sure
Zoro is a Mc willing to die, work under, and help another MC dream. Thats one of the reasons i love zoro he's written as a mc a guy willing to die for his ambition, to him its either hes the worlds best swordsman or nothing. I love how simple he is and i don't lie when people claim he's 2 dimensional compared to other strawhats and other shounen, Zoro dosent need a grand backstory, him and luffy are both simple ambitious people. Zoro is the backbone of the crew and he's willing to go through hell and back for his crew. He's the big tough guy with a heart of gold
This makes even more sense when you stop to think that just like Luffy, Zoro has a way of attracting people. Random people just trust and follow him in every arc.
Zoro's fear of not being strong enough to control things and protect everyone he hold most dear is the sweetest and saddest thing I ever heard. Someone need to hug him, really
Zoro is a simple character and in the same way perfectly writing, we need another video like this, because every RUclipsrs talk just about theory and power scaling. I really enjoyed watching it 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The quiet moments with Zoro are some of my favorite reasons of why I am such a fan of him. I think he is a very perfect symbol of masculinity and so many male fans are correct with obsessing over his fights power and dedication. It is something so many other men including myself want to be. To push past limits and save face past all of it. His fear and never being content with where he is at is also a comment trait a lot of men deal with by always wanting the more expensive car, the bigger muscles, the even higher paying job. Because that is sort of what we're told to do from the beginning. Nowdays it's scene and frowned upon as the whole Toxic male / Sigma male type of behavior, but it doesn't change the fact that Zoro is the type of person so many of us just wish we were committed enough to be. Great video shining a light on why it is an obsession and some of the pain Zoro and his fans tend to ignore.
I also think that his relationship with death is also important. I feel he gets so close to death so many times because he wants to be stronger than death itself. He must prove to himself that he won't die, like his childhood friend did.
This is the best Zoro character analysis I've ever seen. You described perfectly as to why he's my favorite straw hat. It's a shame many Zoro fans only admire Zoro for some shonen-tropey big strong sword God reason because despite being a simple character he has a lot of breadth to him that many Zoro fans don't appreciate. Thanks for the great watch, I subscribed.
Loved the video. Its not common to see people dive down onto the somewhat suble but persistent ways Oda writes his characters, and i love when you do just that. I'd also like to elaborate on some of my thoughts that werent in the video. Aside from the obsession with strength, that very aspect of him breeds another part of his personality: his fixation on duty. Just as he is incredibly scared of losing anyone again for not being strong enough, he takes that need of control and keeping people safe to his job as the vice-captain of the straw hats. Before his defeat by Mihawk, Zoro was laughing and smiling often, but at that momment, in conjunction to what you said, i think it also made Zoro realize that if he is going to be on this crew, the enemies will get stronger and stronger. And that threat made him realize that not only does he need to work on his strength, but also his place in the crew, his place besides Luffy. He needs to be a vice captain that can help his crew and his captain and protect them. He needs to be the counter part to Luffy and help him when he might fail as a captain. From there, his seriousness to counter act Luffy's unbound optimism and carefree nature. And it all came to fruition with Kuma. It is my belief that one of the arguments he was using on his head at that momment was "it's my duty as the vice captain", to give up on his dream and promise on Luffy's behalf. And i also noticed he is distincly protective or doubtfull of women, in the manner that he thinks they are weaker. Just seeing his behaviour with Nami, Robin (his quote on skypea after Enel zapped her "she's just a woman" or something along those lines) and especially Tashigi. And i believe it all comes from Kuina, from his belief that he could beat her and when she opened up on her insecurities of being a female swordswoman.
After getting past your perving, you made some great points. I've been training since I was a little kid so I'd never run into a situation where I couldn't protect my family. I never put 2 & 2 together until now but that's why I love Zoro so much. He's putting the burden of his loved ones safety on his shoulders and does everything in his power to make sure he's prepared to keep them safe when the time comes.
Thank you for this video! It's always great to see people truly understanding the complexity to Zoro's simplicity. It's frustrating how a lot of conversations about Zoro revolve around his physical strength when there are other aspects of his character that are just as interesting to examine.
This video makes me so happy because I've watched too many character analysis videos for my own good. But there's never been a good one on Zoro, as you said he's extremely misunderstood and bastardized by primarily male fans (and people who like more cliche anime). But I've always admired the "lowkey-ness" of him- and how he does these things with NO RECOGNITION every time. Maybe it's just a me thing, but it's always hard to do something and not get credit for it (but again maybe I'm just selfish or something). Zoro is actually true of heart, and honestly aspiring nothing beyond the ability to be relied on even if he isn't acknowledged for it. He doesn't shout about it like Luffy, nor does he say anything usually. It's his actions that show his strength is not used for clout or fear or self-reassurance but for his family.
I think the best way to describe zoro in a bit of depth is that he is simple in what his feelings on any matter is, the desires he holds, and how he intends to reach his desires but not because he's poorly written which he isnt but instead because he simply doesnt overthink things nor care to try to find quicker work arounds unless ABSOLUTELY necessary to protect others and even than he still prefers to brute force it if it only risks his life. one of the BIGGEST examples i can think of is when he asked mihawk to train him. there would likely be people curious why i call that a work around but the reason really is simple and is that he wanted to become the worlds greatest swordsman and be mihawk 1 on 1 with the power he has built himself to show he truly deserves the title of worlds greatest swordsman so having been trained by the man who he swore to beat is the epitome of admiting he couldnt do it and wasnt worthy of being called the worlds greatest swordsman but he didnt care and did it anyways because it was the only way that he could make sure luffy and the crew werent being held back by him as he sees it.
Zoro has, and will forever be, my favorite One Piece character. He just...I don't know. There is this concept in a lot of cultures, but the name of it that sticks out is "ikigai" from Japan. It basically means aligning your actions and talent with your life's purpose. Not only is it discovering what you are capable of and talented in, but to then match your abilities to your lifestyle and your life's work. Zoro just fulfills his ikigai---he harmonizes what he believes in, what he feels, what he does physically, with the work that he does every single day. He's an extremely motivated individual. Yes, I can agree that his exercise habits lead me to believe he suffers from anxiety and probably PTSD, but instead of being crippled by his fear he harness it into action. He doesn't lay down and let the world eat him alive. Promises are important. Actions are important. Loyalty is absolute. Friendship the only damn thing worth living for. Nakama isn't a word he bandies about---once you are nakama to him, you're it for life. And if Luffy can't get you out a bad situation, then ZORO will die trying.
An interesting thing to note is that when Zoro met kuina he was already in this obsessive search for strength. Considering the information that Oda gave in an SBS that Zoro's parents died (The mother due to illness and the father in a pirate attack), I imagine that: 1- he was completely alone after their death 2- He blamed himself for their deaths, for not being strong enough to protect them. (Even though he was a child) And that's why he went out challenging the strongest in each Dojo, because he had nowhere to go, and he was desperate to be stronger.
This video is so refreshing THANK YOU most Zoro videos are really like power scaling and describing him as a macho man with no fears when like! He has! He's human after all and his character is so fascinating to me, you've covered it really well and managed to put into words what I felt so thank you sm it was a really enjoyable watch! I'd like to see a Luffy character study from you I've seen so many vids about him but none Rlly felt right but I think you kind of get him and one piece as I do haha
6:00 I really like this part here about how the Strawhats are unique in that each member has their own individual dreams and that Zoro’s dream of becoming the best swordsman isn’t a self centered one but one for the protection/reliability of ensuring his crew mates can achieve their dreams. Incredibly well made video, keep up the great work 👍!
I am here for all of these hot takes. I've noticed the fear and anxiety zoro has with not being strong enough but...wow! Totally think you're right that the compulsive post-fight training is a means to both punish himself and an attempt to regain control. I think this might be why Luffy and Zoro are so close - and actually very alike. They both see themselves as protectors, refuse to lose anyone and would choose (in diff ways but equally recklessly) bodily harm if it means the crew is safe. Obvi Luffy's anxiety of strength is diff, I think he's much more optimistic, but he obvi can't handle being confronted with his weakness.(now I'm like "...is that friendship toxic??" 🥴). Ugh! Sooo juicy! It's a follow for me 💫
I think Zoro/luffy is meant to show that every character doesn't need the saddest backstory. You can have bad moments like a friend dying. But not every backstory needs to be your entire country dying to some old man called Howard
You said that "there are so many Zoro videos out there" and I've seen plenty of them, but none was as actually(!) deep, from a psychological standpoint, as yours. Most of those videos go on full analysis mode stating what's already blatantly obvious, for example his strength and determination, without trying to dive deeper into why Zoro is the way he is. (and then our favorite Marimo is the one being accused for shallowness, huh... :/). By this point, I had lost all hope on a good Zoro video ever being produced, but then I noticed yours and from the title alone I kinda knew you were on to something, because that title felt like it expressed my subconsious thoughts, that I wasn't able to put into words, on this character. Then I watched the video and it was spot on and everything you said just clicked on my mind like " THAT'S IT!!YES THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!!" and it made me take a step back, take a deeper look at myself and reevaluate why I liked this character since I was a teenager so much and why I connected with him (i see parts of myself in him). So yeah that video left me with better understanding on the character and somewhat better understanding of myself too, lol. I also enjoyed the humorous bits! So yeah, you video felt so refreshing and definitely "threw something new into the mix"!! Great job!
I feel like you really hit the nail on the head with this. Great video! Zoro is definitely a favorite of mine but Oda just does such an amazing job with his characters and story it's hard not to love everyone.
LMAO I cant with the yaoi hints on this script lol I love this tho cause even tho Zoro is simple he is not shallow! And theres many discussion you can get out of his character And the way its handled is masterful! Cause its not in your face like we are ki da used to in anime, its subtle and you can search for the tiny details that form his personality all around the manga I loved this video!
I've been watching and reading One Piece for years and Zoro was always in my top 2 favourites. Yet, this managed to give a new perspective on this character, and it makes perfect sense! Thank you, very nice video :]
Zoro absolutely is an example of the epitomy of masculinity I would like to one day achieve. Once had a collage of his journey from the first of the story and through his major battles up to where he was after the time skip. Tried to use that as inspiration for myself. Also had one of Koby. Sadly it didn't work, but I still tried damnit!
Your character analysis and use of examples in the story was great! Great job, I had a great time watching. You've captured the essence of Zoro well. I like hearing what people value in One Piece and doing deeper dives like this into a characters motivations and characteristics is refreshing. I'd like to hear what you think about the overall story.
i also love the kuma scene cause its the moment where he shows that he is ready to sacrifice his own dream to make sure his crew and luffy gets to survive. He showed sacrifice before but its the moment where its made evident for everyone
I’ve watched a lot of character analysis on these guys and you did phenomenal. I think it’s the best really patyourself on the back you got them both separately great and then you got the wings together. You hit the nail on the head with every point.
Another thing I noticed when someone pointed it out to me is how he laughs often pre-time skip and yet, after Zoro finds out about Ace’s death and his helplessness to do anything for his captain, he becomes almost solely no-nonsense. The only times he laughs become whenever he’s in a fight (and comparing himself to an animal) or rare moments of peace. It’s almost like he makes himself more of a weapon than a person.
I genuinely believe Sanji is Zoro's best friend. Not only because Sanji is Sanji and thus cares a lot about people but he genuinely seems to understand Zoro.
Deep down inside the male psyche they want to die for others and are afraid they will not be strong enough to be that hero… thus zoro is their #1 archetype … he delivers on this determination and for a hype moment where he can do what no one else can and in a cool pose
I think your video is great in the way that Zoro is the big brother to all the straw hats. You don't just see this with Chopper, but luffy and Sanji as well. All of Zoro's relationships with his found family are that of a big brother who puts on a hard face but has a soft heart for them. He guides Luffy like when he does not allow the crew to bring back Ussop willy nilly. He competes with Sanji in a sibling rivalry sort of way. He looks after Chopper who is the youngest. He bickers but respects Nami to a great extent. Zoro is the oldest(as in first) straw hat and will look after everyone else
Now that I think about it everyone who knows or has heard of Zoro says how strong he is. Zoro tells himself he needs to become stronger. In the beginning Zoro joined Luffy as a means to an end. Now he’s committed to not only his Crew but their dreams. Zoro’s development as a character is subtle but it’s done well. As is this video.
There was this moment that very subtle about how much Zoro cares the crews..at Skypiea, Usopp was about to swim to the aaltar of sacrify to repair the damage of Merry Go..but Zoro warned him about the sky shark..looking the shark swim aggresively around them made Usopp aborted his intention and went back to the camp leaving Zoro there..there and that moment, Zoro was picking Usopp’s boots that he left behind..it really heart warming situation for me..
I don't normally watch zoro analysis videos because I often feel like it boils down to a "zero very big and strong" bit almost never mention the times he's clearly struggled with his emotions. Also fewer that ever touch on the topic of his flaws, infact I think I've only ever seen two videos every even acknowledge that zoro isn't perfect that's why he's so interesting
Absolutely well done! This was a magnificent insight into my favorite character from One Piece and deserves a subscribe. Not just because you catered to my interests, but because you were able to do a clear and concise deep-dive on just ONE character from a massive roster of characters from the show. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of the anxiety of strength and how it shapes Zoro's actions throughout the story. Can't wait to see what's next for him!!
The most thing i love about zoro is that he always understood luffy while the other go screaming and throwing hands he always understood that when Luffy say something or do something there's a reason. And since the beginning they both believed that the other will achieve his dream like Luffy saying anything less than the best swordsman in the world and i will be in trouble. He didn't doubt him and zoro calling him the pirate king since episode 24
After binging through your One Piece videos, this might be an odd request, but it would be cool to see you make a video on compassion and self-sacrifice in One Piece. Cause it has such a massive heart impact on the series, from Sanji giving food to Krieg’s pirates, to Usopp wanting to give his town another sleepy day despite a pirate attack, all the way back to Shank’s giving up his arm to save Luffy from the sea monster. A lot of people talk about the fights and the world building, and I love those aspects, but I don’t think we hear as much about how acts of kindness impact and move the story forward so drastically.
I’ve been enjoying these videos very much, thank you. These deep dives into the psychology of the straw hats has actually revealed things I hadn’t noticed in my personal viewings and have added to my enjoyment of One Piece!!
Never forget that the promise he made to Luffy was that he would never lose again and that is a very tough burden to put on himself. It makes his loss to Kuma much more worse than the pain. Even though everyone was at their very limit after the events on thriller bark after fighting Oars among others, he blamed himself for being too weak
Love that we can all appreciate this juicy hunk of a man I just made it past episode 400, and yeah, Sabaody gets fucking crazy, because literally everyone is exhausted from Thriller Bark, and then a fucking Admiral who moves at the speed of light shows up. This shits crazy.
The reason why Zoro is seen sleeping so often is because he is always on guard when everyone else is sleeping. Its very subtle in the anime.
The episodes after dressrosa fight, we see everyone sleep expect zoro
I've also noticed whenever Luffy is asleep he'll be up and vice versa but not always ofc just not both of them are asleep rarely if not ever
they trust each other to keep the crew safe and protect them
@@RlSE2HEAVEN and on cactus island
He also usually stays at the ship to protect it because it is a real weak point for a pirate group.
this isnt true at all, oda stated in an sbs that everyone in the crew takes guard shift, zoro does sleep a low amount but hes not doing it because hes guarding
His face when he sees Luffy for the first time after Whole Cake says everything. He rarely emotes, let alone smile in joy. The moment he sees his closest friend and captain, it’s in instant of pure beauty.
I've seen that scene so many times. It's beautiful.
"Emotes" Bro thinks this is fortnite💀💀💀 (Joke)
@spiderkid4thegamer400 Emote- (especially of an actor) portray emotion in a theatrical manner.
Bro thinks this is from fortnite 💀 💀💀
(Also joke)
@@spiderkid4thegamer400ifcicicjciidi not gay
So so true, i remember taking a few moments to just stare at that panel 😭
One of the greatest Zoro moments for me is when Usopp tries to return to the crew. He establishes two things to both the audience and the crew: he’s absolutely the first mate and that this is no longer a kid’s game
I really love that scene too. Zoro specifically says if the first thing he says isn’t an apology he won’t accept it. So he pretended to not hear him until he said his apology
Right but also emphasizing it was never a kid's game, and that reality has a slow way of sinking in, making Ussop's motivations for his separation have less to do with "playing pirate" or him wanting to be captain, but the thought of a crewmember being cast off for being weak or broken. Since he considers himself the weakest of the crew, in Ussops mind he is the next on the chopping block. Zoro understands this and puts his foot down that Ussop must apologize to Luffy and the rest before being allowed back in because they can't have someone on board who wouldn't lay down their life for their crew, and at that point, all Ussop could think about was Merry and his own weakness. Zoro deeply understands the 'not being strong enough to protect those you love' aspect of Ussop better than Ussop does because Ussop was terrified he would have to give up a friend in order to grow stronger when, in reality, Merry had reached the end of her life. She hadn't been built for the strenuous voyages they would encounter past Water7, she had barely been able to handle Sky Island, and that was what broke her keel. Zoro analyzes this calmy and knows Ussop will eventually calm down and do the right thing; admit he is weak but despite that weakness, he has his own kind of strength and he truly belongs with the crew. Ussop's greatest fear at that point was being one of them, but not being good enough for them and he needed to learn that no matter his physical strength he still had a role to play that no one else could, the Sogeking, the sniper, their eye in the sky their handy engineer who could make them all sorts of cool gadgets. Zoro knows just how valuable Ussop is to the crew and after Ennis lobby, Ussop ( and the rest of the crew) began to see it too.
And I think it was absolutely perfect because they just challenged the world government and are getting closer and closer to the new world. If they just continue to let things happen the way they were and let Usopp back with not much consequence for challenging his captain, this makes the captain look weaker and also kinda like oh what you did wasn’t really that bad. I think Zoro even says something similar to that. He keeps a level head and cares so much about the people he’s with that he will not allow bull crap to be created within the crew hence why he needed to let Usopp know more than anyone, what you did isn’t cool and you need to prove that you legit want to return and trust in Luffy and the crew. If there’s no trust, why return?
@@Avatargirl38 Amazing comment displaying how zoro really is the backbone of the crew as he sees everything for how it is because if there isn't a zoro, jimbei, or robin on the crew they would've quickly crumbled and fall.
@@r3medyproductions omg that part when Luffy tells Usopp to burn the world governments flag, and he does it without flinching!?!?!?.
I get goosebumps every time, god damn that arc was good ; u ;
The fact that Oda had Zoro yeeted first on shabody is very telling. The protector was gone. They all tried so hard to save him, so desperate to keep him. He's literally *always* been in the crew. And then, when Zoro got sent off in front of all of them and all they could do was watch, you could truly feel the fear in the crew. The horror in Luffy's voice.
Yes and having robin be taken last was also important because i feel like robin is the one who absolutely needs the crew the most. Of course they all need eachother but i think robin is the only one who most certainly would be dead without them and who needs the family the most.
yeah the horror in Luffy's voice was sad he was genuinely frightened and shook to his core that one of his best friends was "killed" so easily I had already been a bit spoiled on Kuma's powers before hand but that didn't negate any of the raw emotion I felt in his screams it reminded me of the one piece movie where they all go to a mysterious island and his entire crew gets kidnapped to be sacrificed and when he finds out and believes them all to be dead he's just so distraught he gives up on fighting back and almost dies
Eh , pretty much they were against Pacifistas , 2 Advanced Haki users , Sentomaru and Kizaru with Kizaru additionally being a skilled swordsman and the user of the Pika Pika no Mi and well Kuma.Their chances of victory were literally 0 even if everyone were ok.Back then Aokiji without dropping some sweat brought them all to their knees.The Sabaody battle was literally overkill at that stage.
Now they have evened up a bit on their crew entirely but honestly only Luffy can keep Kizaru in check as shown.
One of my favourite parts from the fight with Kuma was Ussop initially telling Zoro to protect him. But once Ussop realised Zoro was injured and down, Ussop instantly overcame his fear to protect Zoro.
Damn
I think that Zoro bowing to Mihawk and asking to be trained by him during the time skip is also a form of punishment he imposed on himself for his failure to protect the crew in Sabaody
His hard on himself
It's also another form of strength
I don’t think it’s punishment per say, more about him needing to do it in order to find the strength to help his captain. It takes a real man to ask for help from someone he deems to be an enemy
Yeah because if that situation never happened most likely he would’ve continued learning the way of the sword his way which might’ve worked but because like you said he failed to do his duty as first mate he sucked up his pride for the crew.
I don't think punishment is the right word, he was willing the throw his pride as an individual for the sake of his captain and crew, I mean to ask help from the man who you see as your enemy and the man who you want to surpasse for the sake of your dream and your childhood friend dream and beg him to train you is humiliating but to do it for your own sake and the crew.
Was amazing.
Great video about Zoro's character. When I watched it I realized two things:
1. Zoro does not have sleep schedule. He takes 2 hour naps throughout the 24 hours (It's confirmed by Oda in SBS). He knows that he needs to be alert on the Sunny 24/7 and doesn't want to be unavailable for a longer time.
2. He puts his hobbies away to train. The only time the crew can relax on an island and be incognito is when they're on Sabaody Archipelago (post time-skip) and Wano. Luffy and Ussop like to fish a lot and on SA we see Zoro wanting to go fishing but he doesn't do it on the Sunny. We see that he likes gambling in Wano. But on Sunny he trains all day because if he relax he will feel guilty that he doesn't train. He puts away his hobbies because he wants to be sure that he can protect his friends.
I personally want to see Zoro's journey end by Zoro finally relaxing and enjoying his life
Glad you included that last sentence, 'cause that ain't healthy and I hope readers get that realization soon.
@@questioningespecialy9107 I mean yeah but it's not like they have an "appropriate" goal. They're trying to be the strongest in the world, death is a small consequence let alone not taking care of yourself lol.
For some, training is a hobby and a form of relaxation.
@@SwanTeeth obviously it can be, but when he was a kid zoro was training to beat the stairs girl and on the merry he was training to be the strongest, it’s always out of competition or because he thinks he’s weak not as a hobby
Him and Issho are both gamblers. Damn.
I love how Zoro is like a big brother to Chopper, they have a very wholesome bond.
Love those moments
Sanji too
Well according to Oda Zoro would be the eldesr so'n, If the Strawhats we're a Family aka. He would be the oldest Brother x"3
So it fits with all
The doctor and the guy most likely to need a doctor.
@@mariaevens8969 if i remember correctly zoro, robin, jimbei and brook are the eldest.
you might guess that by how they behave a little bit more serious and calm than the rest.
with brook being the exception as the perverted music loving grandpa he is. i kind of miss some slight racism with brook to be honest haha
Zoro subverts the anime trope that a tragic backstory leads to strength. He shows that a normal person, if they try hard enough, can be great. You don’t need famous parents or insane talent or magic powers to be the best around.
Exactly! and that's why he is such a unique character
Mostly but that sbs did indicate he’s related to ryuma
@@sock312 He is, but it's not like they have some sort of magical bloodline ability or that he was trained by him.
@@sock312 I mean just because you are related to someone powerful or talented doesn´t mean you always had an advantage. Sanji is a good case on what is like to be the "weak" one in a family where they only cared about strenght and disregard everything else. Even Luffy and Ace who had very influential fathers still had to learn and train to become strong fighters. I know they still had the help of devil fruits but still count.
@@nidohime6233luffy is a reincarnation, Ace is the son of the pirate king, sanji is a cyborg, zoro we don’t know who his parents are to make a conclusion yet.
His character is like a shallow ocean. He's not deep but there's a lot to him.
I love that take
In him when I get there
yeah
That is probably the best way anyone can describe Zoro. 👍
this just described me
If anyone in the crew that understands Zoro the most, it is Sanji no doubt.
Sanji is my favorite. I read so many comments between zoro or sanji fans fighting and it's so stupid. They understand each other so well and it's just guys clashing egos but with respect there. Every serious person needs a goofy emotional friend and vice versa
@@davidburlingame6583 Right, they act like it's a crime to like both 💀💀💀💀. And even if you like one of them more, doesn't mean that you have to hate the other one 😭😭😭.
I agree with yall. I love Zoro most but I still love Sanji too
Sanji is very understanding in general
Agree
It's a very new take on Zoro because every single essay about him is basically just his sword moves and POWERSCALING.
Mr morj did a really good analysis on his character, called "why there's no other fictional character like zoro".
If you enjoyed this video and wish for some more I would give it a listen.
@@kinsta2949 uhhh yeah! That video is great!
We needed a thirst review.
@@kinsta2949 I
Ii9999.the
The zoro and sanji wano thing breaks my heart because sanji chose zoro believing that he’s the only one in the crew with sufficient physical AND mental strength to pull it off, therefore Sanji’s action shows how much he trusts and believes in zoro. Meanwhile, if push comes to shove, it would be the most heartbreaking thing for Zoro to experience because one, he’s a man of his words and since he made a promise, he has to respect it and actually do it. Two, it would go against every instinct he has as the guardian of the strawhats, against what he spent years of harsh training for which is protecting his crew from any type of danger and harm. To destroy that with his own hands?? Thank goodness we didn’t need to see it play out, it would obliterate me.
I'm so glad you talked about how Zoro is seen by lots of male fans as the 'wow so cool strong boy'. I've seen many an interpretation of the 'nothing happened' scene as a physical strength to aspire to, like it's the most badass thing on the planet. It was badass, but not because he was *strong* and withheld it, but that he was willing to go through it for his crew in the first place. That's strength.
I honestly think that the strenght lies in withholding information as to what happened to him but so does everybody else…
Taking a hit was never seen as a feat of strength.
That scene reflects duty. “nothing happened.” Reflects the sentiment that his sacrifice although great was “nothing” because it is his duty. Which thematically represents his character as a Samurai, and his role as First Mate of the Crew. He shoulders the captain’s Burdens..Zoros entire character is centered around fulfilling the dreams of his friends, so much so he puts his own dream Second to the crew. This is a bad take all around lowkey.
What a strange assumption you make about male fans. Pretty much all men who watch that scene resonate with the sense of duty and loyalty that it represented. If anything, I think that men resonate with this scene in ways that women may not be able to fully understand. Maybe this lack of understanding is what leads women to project this simplistic idea of what they think men see in this scene.
The scene reflets what is be a Man, embrace pain for a virtuos purpose. For protect others, this is why this characters its important
His real strength was not telling luffy. He didn't do it for praise, he did it to save his captain
Can we talk about how Zoro and Luffy are basically brothers for all intents and purposes and are sooo naturally in-tune to eachother's brainwaves, or lack there of, that they don't even need to talk to eachother and with just a glance they know how to go about shit. These two are true brothers.
That’s why I love one piece found family
Or lack there of
It's only natural as the person who's spent the most time with luffy
This brought me to the light of Zoro and Sanji's relationship they act like they hate each other but I bet that they both know that they deeply care for each other
they dont hate eachoother nor pretend it. they just cant stand eachother. most siblings could relate to this
@@vittocrazi fight each other in the house, fight for each other outside the house
This might be my favorite introspective into Zoro. No one gives him credit for being the living protector that be is, except Luffy.
One of my favorite scenes is that in Zou when they’re talking about what happened to Sanji and Luffy comes and sees him sitting outside listening and says, “Zoro, you’re worried about Sanji..”
That’s why him and Luffy are my absolute favorite characters ever. Not overly emotional but also not just brutes, they care so much and they’re very in touch with others emotions
Nice analysis. I think a lot of One Piece you tubers stop at analyzing the world or plot theories or at most character's philosophies, but all the characters are so interesting and well written in ways that aren't blatantly obvious, and it's really neat to see someone analyze them as people further. I think Luffy has something going on kind of similar to Zoro with fear of failing to protect people, but it manifests very differently in him, and thats hella interesting from a character writing perspective.
Best character in the series Zoro. The goat. Best character traits for me, strong, loyal, trust, will power and humble.
Search it up you will find a lot on zoro
garbage
@@Coolgamer..Sanji…
I can see it now
Trust because Sanji didn’t think Luffy wasn’t strong enough to defeat big mom but it was more so because he didn’t trust his family threatening his real family (Zeff and the crew)
YES. I've been telling my husband like his whole deal is fear of his loved ones dying. He's simple, obsessive, and anxious. He's obviously responsible for keeping the crew alive while Luffy is responsible for their dreams.
Zoro's arc from a guy who tell's Luffy that he'll kill him if he gets in the way of his dream, to the man who would lay down his life for Luffy's dream, and even further to the man who laid down his pride to his rival for the sake of Luffy's dream (which i would argue Zoro values higher than his life). Its such a great subtle story, and happens so naturally, but is so powerful when you see it.
The angry people and the horny people only want to focus on the Zoro/Sanji dynamic, but Zoro and Luffy's friendship is so under-rated. All of the crew have their dream, but Zoro and Luffy have the bond that can only come from two people with equally insane dreams. Their reunion in Wano honestly got me teary, the joy on Zoro's face/voice when he finally saw Luffy again is true friendship ❤️
yeah it was odd when she said "the interesting thing about [the thriller bark scene] is how zoro treats sanji" like no the interesting and PIVOTAL thing about this scene is that Zoro was willing to sacrifice his dream to save Luffy's life. Like, that's huge for a character who is so determined and focused on his dream--a dream he was pursuing before he even met Luffy. And she didn't mention Zoro begging Mihawk to train him (and Mihawk recognizing that Zoro is doing it for Luffy's sake). I don't entirely disagree with the analysis overall but it's sad that Zoro's loyalty to Luffy, his captain, is so downplayed here when it's such a core aspect of Zoro's character.
@@ryoshockwave THIS RIGHT HERE like nothing wrong with the rest of the video but I thought she would touch of the loyalty and the incredible bond zoro has with luffy to the point of putting aside his ambitions (which even king sort of noticed) for luffy's
“He who sweats more in training, bleeds less in battle” - Zoro
Ya know for someone who trains so much, he sure does bleed ALOT in battle
@@philipplyanguzov9090but never *fatally* >v>
@@bahmot9501oda said that he died after taking luffy’s pain but his spirit got lost and ended up back in his body so, yeah he had bled fatally
@@lazyliongames6660but did he die from bleeding? Or from internal damage inflicted by the bubble?
Did you see the big pool of blood around him when sanji found him, definitely blood loss
Another angle to his inferiority complex can be shown in his relationship to Luffy. In the beginning, Zoro openly tells Luffy that he'll kill him if he gets in the way of his dream. During Alabasta (though this probably started in Arlong Park), however, he realises how much he cares for his crew. I think the whole "cutting nothing to cut steel" thing in the fight with Mr. 1 can be interpreted as embracing your softer side. This is the first time he's been separated from his crew and has to protect them against enemies that he deems too dangerous for them. He grows stronger from a need to protect, contrasting Mr. 1, an assassin whose sole job it is to destroy. Fast forward to Thriller Bark, and in addition to what you've pointed out in the video, his love for his crew goes even beyond his and their safety. He's willing to put Luffy's dream (and by extension the rest of his crew's) above his, surely a development from the death threat at the start of the series.
To add more support, what Mr. 1 said in Marineford (can't remember ver batem) also matches up with this
Yes that times in perfectly in Alabasta, when Nami explains Vivi how they've grown to care for each other and that they've gained an additional goal that is making Luffy's dream real and have made it a priority over their own
In the manga he said "I'll have you cut your stomach open to say sorry" telling luffy he wasnt gonna kill him, he was gonna make him kill himself. Very metal.
What's amazing about it dude is that if you read Wanted fourth chapter, something Oda drew way before One Piece, you would hear an awfully familiar line from Ryuma, the Sword God himself to what Zoros Sensei told him when he was small, something Zoro remembered during his fight with Mr 1:
The true value of a battle isn't in the feats you achieved or the spoils you have gained, it's in what you protected.
I've noticed Zoro's anxiety before but I think when he says to Hiyori "It's because I suck" (ref his fight with Killer and gettting injured) that's when it really hit home for me that Zoro isn't actually 100% sure of himself. I mean none of the characters are, not all the time. But Zoro doesn't think super highly of his skills at this point. High enough I guess, but not high enough that he's satisfied. If he wins but gets injured, that means in his mind that he sucks. So I am completely on board with this, big bouncy man milkies and all.
Two reasons Zoro survived Kuma..
1. He needed to stay still to limit the blood loss (hilarious I know) and stay awake cause if he even closed his eyes he wouldn’t open them again.
2. He would never purposely do to Luffy what Kuina’s death did to him.
Nah the real reason is he got lost on the way to the afterlife
Basically he just absorbed pain.Had it been an Ursus Shock Zoro would have died.That attack just brought a 50 meter tall Oars to its knees and it was enough to slowly kill it.Even if it was still alive to open the Wall the Marines rose it died some minutes after.
Brook's fruit always repeairs his wounds , just through some time.Sanji later in the story was proven to be a modified mutant basically which is why he was able to pull through the Ursus Shock and Enel's El Thor through heavy damage though.Zoro probably managed to run away somewhere to not be entirely affected from the shockwave.Tge other Straw Hats probably started running too considering the shock didn't kill them.That's why only Sanji and Brook were still standing after the attack.
@@lorddarkrai5753 brook heals his bones by drinking milk
It's so nice seeing someone acknowledge this side of Zoro too. On top of everything mentioned in this video, the fact that Zoro still uses three swords just shows just how anxious he feels about being stronger. He didn't feel strong enough with one sword so he got two, and he didn't feel strong enough with two so he got three. I'm not fully caught up but there's rarely ever any situations where he uses just one sword, it's almost always three, and at the bare minimum two. People in the show say "Wow he's so strong that he's able to use three swords" when in actuality that stemmed from him not feeling strong enough
Hearing powerscaling be reduced to "Mid-diffs, high-diffs, flips, flops, and tops" is absolutely hilarious. I enjoy powerscaling up until the point it gets out of hand and circular. And to be fair, I'm not really sure where that point is; it seems to change on a case to case basis lol
Anyway, all analysis videos on Zoro are great. It's always dope to see people peel back the "tough guy hit hard" outer layer and get to the more meaty, overlooked stuff
I've noticed Zoro's anxiety from time to time, but this video really hammers it home and makes it clear; this was awesome!
19:31 PLEASE, THAT VIDEO IDEA SOUNDS SO GOOD!
No diff and negative diff
Extreme diff and Beyond Negative Diff
(marineford spoilers) Powerscaling hit a wall for me during Marineford, cause when ace died there was a huge wave of dudebro fans saying “wow aces character is lame and stupid, he turned around to fight akainu and lost, what a weakling.” like i couldnt believe media literacy comprehension was that far gone for some people
Zoro represents the backbone of the Straw Hats imo. A lot of his values, and ways of dealing with things help Luffy with the challenge of being a good captain. Like the majority of Water 7 and the tail end of Post Enies Lobby exemplify this. His words to Luffy about not just accepting Ussop back, without a heartfelt apology, show he's aware of what it means to support the crew in a way that fosters loyalty and growth instead of just naïve acceptance. Which makes the moment where he is relieved Usopp apologized so much more powerful...he genuinely cares, but wants to see his friends grow which in turn makes him a great role model.
I love Zoro because he is calm waters that run deep. But he is still a river with a singular path.
Dude isn’t indestructible because he is super. He is indestructible because of what Ivankov said. He refuses to give up. Ever. For any reason. And so the world bends to him, or he bends himself. Whichever gives first.
The man is just the embodiment of “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
Exactly, he is the DRIVE in OP. Nothing more, nothing else! ^^
That's good cuz he gets lost all the time.. .
@@Crysomandiaz
And the world bends to either put an enemy on his path or a friend to yank him by the collar…. Usually the former and usually because they are bigger than the city and he just goes, “I should probably cut that.”
that'd be luffy lmao@@sakura5sango6
@@goat5944 Yes, but no. Luffy has a reason why he needs to be strong. Zoro is strong because he WANTS to be strong. Period. Before knowing Kuina and making their promise, he already wanted to be the strongest one, looking for people to fight against.
This means that Zoro's reasons aren't thaaat deep. And they **don't need to be**. There are several sportspeople in real life that are just like that. Luffy IS a drive character, that's for sure, but when Zoro wants to portray a scene of it, he usually uses Zoro for it (he also does this with loyalty, and it doesn't mean that other characters aren't loyal, for example ^^).
Oda uses characters related to some idea, to some thematic. And, YES, Luffy is drive, but he's primarily freedom and liberty (and other things, of course), while Zoro's character IS drive and loyalty (again: NO, this doesn't mean the others can't show these traits, I'm just saying that Oda uses certain characters more when he wants to address certain topics!).
I've never heard such a well thought out description of Zoro. I never really understood why I liked him so much, he was just always my favorite. But this made it a lot clearer. As a mega Zoro fan thank you for this video.
One of the only videos that actually talks about Zoro's masculinity as the effect to the fear or anxiety of failure/weakness cause. Such a small thing people fail to notice in this anime but its so perfectly woven into his character and story. I myself struggled to live a life being a man and having expectations that "I have to be a man" in certain situations. While I have grown to agree with a lot of them, it's the need and expectation that induces a lot of untold anxiety. LOTS of men nowdays don't talk about their emotion, and its not because they dont want to, but because they are afraid to. I think thats what makes me like the Sanji Zoro dynamic even more, because Sanji represents the other side of man, the emotional. Man I could go into a whole rant here too but the best thing about the characters in this manga is how real they feel.
I love the slow development of Zoro becoming more stoic. It's both really cool and depressing watching this guy who has no problem looking happy and laughing into the most steadfast and (mostly) emotionless warrior. He pretty much never openly laughs after Mihawk kicks his ass on the Baratie, with the only exception I've seen is the party at Vivi's castle at the end of Alabasta. He feels like he can't because he's pretty much the only one who gets how much stronger the threats on the Grand Line are getting.
Suprised there was no mention of Tashigi and the "relationship" if you can call it that with her and Zoro. I know in some instances she''s just a device to remind Zoro of Kuina, but I think it goes with along with what you had mentioned about his desire to protect his loved ones. Even if she's the enemy he still struggles with her in combat and other interactions.
I'm so mad I was so caught up with Zoro and his crew that I completely forgot about Tashigi NOOOOO
@@MelonTeee lol you'll get em next time tiger
@@MelonTeee Clearly you'll have to make another Zoro video.
I think he has a soft spot for her not only because she looks like Kuina but also he understands how unfair the position women are in when it comes to sword mastery. If Kuina had grown up, he would have already surpassed her and knowing that kinda hurts.
@@jessiesargent7212 there's kiku too. I think there's a point where Kiku calls herself a samurai, in which Zoro's attitude towards her and her power that changes completely.
I also noticed he’s a bit of a mother hen… like he has a tough exterior because of his fear… but there are definitely times when he’s outwardly sweet and caring, especially with Chopper! He really looks after Chopper and really cares for him, there was a scene in Water 7 when Chopper stands up and is trying to be scary and intimidating and Zoro turns around and claps for him, cause he knows this isn’t Chopper but he’s doing such a good job and Zoro is so proud!!!!!
And of course the mother hens job is definitely to protect the chicks hehehe, I love Zoro. He has a hard shell but I think he has a lot of love and sweetness just barely concealed 😭
For a long time I thought introducing mihawk early in the series wasn't a great move but I eventually settled on that it was necessary for zoro to understand what absolute strength was. Even now, after more than a decade of one piece zoro still understands that he's not even close to the top but the top is now coming down to try to shut down the straw hats. He knows do or die time is drawing closer, and his time being the only one to have actually faced one of those near-mythical setting powerhouses before anyone else means he is the only one who really, truly understands the depth of the shit they're in.
When Luffy gets his first bounty we can see the crew surprised and celebrating, meanwhile Zoro's first thought is more stronger bounty hunters are gonna come after them
I'm so happy to see a video actually talking about one of the biggest reasons why I love Zoro, the man cannot accept a loss, cannot accept not being strong enough because if he's not that, then everything he's so desperately trying to keep safe won't be. Gosh this vid was really good! I wish you a wonderful day, it was a lovely watch ^^
Is all about control ... he is terrified of not being strong enough to be in control of the situation. He is one step away from sufering a panic attack, he shows a lot of signs of anxiety through the whole story
Loving these character specific portraits and a closer look at traits. It really is a breath of fresh air since so much of the OP RUclipsr sphere only centers around the world building, theories, and week to week discussion. Only subbed a video ago, but please keep these up!
“Men want to be him and men want him”
Yes as a straight man zoro makes me feel some type of way🤧
I'm so glad you brought up the scene in Punk Hazard when Zoro got onto Luffy taking things seriously. Most people think he's just lecturing his captain for being careless (which he is), but he's also getting onto himself for losing to the Yeti Cool Brothers. He's yelling at himself as much as he's yelling at Luffy. That's why Sanji said he's so hard on himself.
I like that you pointed out Zoro’s anxiety because I never noticed it. I noticed Luffy’s because he’s a lot more expressive and literally says it at one point but Zoro’s is a lot more subtle.
Zoro, Guts- I grew up weak without direction or support. Looking back as a kid, I felt such vulnerability and never even thought about the future- growing up around people who only got high, drunk, in and out of jail, high school drop outs- I had no standard to look to. I grew up into a young adult with no direction, addiction, still physically weak.. I hate say but finding manga and a certain friend- I was shown strength, I was shown integrity, I was shown willpower. Now I seek to become the strongest version of myself that can possibly exist, the smart, the harshsest but most compassionate. An unreal, fictional level of motivation and willpower. I pray only to myself
I believe in you!! I know your future will be bright.
I personnaly like how he's both "the responsible one" and "as dumb as Luffy" at the same time. He almost always looks calm and composed, increadibly reliable, and I love his relationship with every character of the crew. I think Sanji and him hate each other because Zoro's so prideful and Sanji's so self-depriciating.
I really appreciate this video. Maybe I'm a shitty anime watcher, and I know OP can be extremely "deceptive" with how many inane surface level details there are that have huge consequences or ramifications, but I never really looked past the surface level for a lot of these characters. Videos like these make me appreciate these works even more. Also, I think you're freaking hilarious lol, love the humor you have on your vids, as well as your YGO videos you've done in the past. Keep up the good work fam.
Zoro has some of the most iconic moments in anime/manga history that shape his character and shows us who he is and people really have the nerve to call him 2 dimensional. Paying attention to what zoro does and the things he says can completely change your life and how you view things. That’s what he did for me. He embodies loyalty, discipline, ambition, strength, and morality.
SPOILERS FOR ZORO'S WANO FIGHT
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One aspect I don't see talked much about Zoro is his struggles with Conqueror's Haki and why they exist. We've seen Zoro has the kind of will to stand at the top. He needs to have that determination to beat someone like Mihawk, and he has the self confidence and ambition anyone with Conqueror's Haki has. But we never see more than glimpses and hints for the longest time, and it's due to the friction between his dream and his loyalty to Luffy.
We've seen time and time again Zoro show his loyalty to Luffy. Luffy is the first person he's met with ambitions to meet or even surpass his. Luffy gave Zoro a companion to work with towards their dreams again for the first time since Kuina, and so hes fiercely loyal. And yet at the same time Luffy's role as captain puts him above Zoro. Zoro's dreams are to be at the top (of swordsman) so Luffy HAS to be stronger than him for Zoro to remain in the crew. Zoro's code won't allow for less, but he also obviously doesn't want to leave the crew, they're his family.
Pre-King fight, Zoro was still holding back. In his eyes he couldn't have Conqueror's Haki, because if he did that meant he wanted to be at the top, and thus above Luffy. King being too strong for Zoro to not use everything at his disposal, combined with Enma pulling everything out of him, forced Zoro to overcome that fear and really go all out. It really shows the internal struggle Zoro was having with being both equal yet subordinate to Luffy.
Nice analysis!
@@ensope6285 thanks! I think about One Piece too much
Here before 2k+ likes because YOU GET IT! 👌
I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only person who thought this
I love reading stuff like this, it really shows how much thought people put into this awesome show and it's characters. Great analysis btw 👍
I loved this analysis of Zoro! He’s simple, but in a way that’s well written, well thought out and well developed. His simplicity is what makes him such a dynamic character.
I can’t wait to see one about Sanji, if you do one. It’s so easy to reduce him to his obsession with women, but there’s a lot to him. Something I like about his dynamic with Zoro is how dissimilar they appear to be, but how alike they in the ways that they’re both self sacrificing, and how they both internalize their fears/sadness/anxiety.
Besides my top 3 characters (Luffy, Sanji, Robin) I would love to see a video that explores the how well Oda ties the themes of Usopp, Robin and Franky together so well during Water 7 and Enies Lobby . Like I can’t articulate it but all 3 build off each other really amazingly.
Zoro and Sanji both have a huge fear of failure, Zoro just hides it better so everyone misses it.
You absolutely nail what I LOVE about One Piece. So many people are in it for the fights and are massive Zoro Stans without actually getting what he’s about. I have absolutely adored all your one piece videos. Please keep it up!!!
I am legit so happy I found your channel because this definitely has to be one of the most well written, researched, and passionate video essay and character analysis of one of my favorite characters in all of anime. You've managed to depict such a delicate side of our favorite 3 sworded himbo and everything you said is backed up with so much evidence and attention to detail over the years. I will be eager to watch your other videos for sure
Zoro is a Mc willing to die, work under, and help another MC dream. Thats one of the reasons i love zoro he's written as a mc a guy willing to die for his ambition, to him its either hes the worlds best swordsman or nothing. I love how simple he is and i don't lie when people claim he's 2 dimensional compared to other strawhats and other shounen, Zoro dosent need a grand backstory, him and luffy are both simple ambitious people. Zoro is the backbone of the crew and he's willing to go through hell and back for his crew. He's the big tough guy with a heart of gold
This makes even more sense when you stop to think that just like Luffy, Zoro has a way of attracting people. Random people just trust and follow him in every arc.
Zoro's fear of not being strong enough to control things and protect everyone he hold most dear is the sweetest and saddest thing I ever heard. Someone need to hug him, really
Zoro is a simple character and in the same way perfectly writing, we need another video like this, because every RUclipsrs talk just about theory and power scaling. I really enjoyed watching it 🔥🔥🔥🔥
The quiet moments with Zoro are some of my favorite reasons of why I am such a fan of him. I think he is a very perfect symbol of masculinity and so many male fans are correct with obsessing over his fights power and dedication. It is something so many other men including myself want to be. To push past limits and save face past all of it. His fear and never being content with where he is at is also a comment trait a lot of men deal with by always wanting the more expensive car, the bigger muscles, the even higher paying job. Because that is sort of what we're told to do from the beginning. Nowdays it's scene and frowned upon as the whole Toxic male / Sigma male type of behavior, but it doesn't change the fact that Zoro is the type of person so many of us just wish we were committed enough to be.
Great video shining a light on why it is an obsession and some of the pain Zoro and his fans tend to ignore.
I also think that his relationship with death is also important. I feel he gets so close to death so many times because he wants to be stronger than death itself. He must prove to himself that he won't die, like his childhood friend did.
This is the best Zoro character analysis I've ever seen. You described perfectly as to why he's my favorite straw hat. It's a shame many Zoro fans only admire Zoro for some shonen-tropey big strong sword God reason because despite being a simple character he has a lot of breadth to him that many Zoro fans don't appreciate. Thanks for the great watch, I subscribed.
Nah, it's fine to like him because of "shonen-tropy big strong sword god reason". Don't get so stuck up.
Loved the video. Its not common to see people dive down onto the somewhat suble but persistent ways Oda writes his characters, and i love when you do just that.
I'd also like to elaborate on some of my thoughts that werent in the video. Aside from the obsession with strength, that very aspect of him breeds another part of his personality: his fixation on duty. Just as he is incredibly scared of losing anyone again for not being strong enough, he takes that need of control and keeping people safe to his job as the vice-captain of the straw hats. Before his defeat by Mihawk, Zoro was laughing and smiling often, but at that momment, in conjunction to what you said, i think it also made Zoro realize that if he is going to be on this crew, the enemies will get stronger and stronger. And that threat made him realize that not only does he need to work on his strength, but also his place in the crew, his place besides Luffy. He needs to be a vice captain that can help his crew and his captain and protect them. He needs to be the counter part to Luffy and help him when he might fail as a captain. From there, his seriousness to counter act Luffy's unbound optimism and carefree nature. And it all came to fruition with Kuma. It is my belief that one of the arguments he was using on his head at that momment was "it's my duty as the vice captain", to give up on his dream and promise on Luffy's behalf.
And i also noticed he is distincly protective or doubtfull of women, in the manner that he thinks they are weaker. Just seeing his behaviour with Nami, Robin (his quote on skypea after Enel zapped her "she's just a woman" or something along those lines) and especially Tashigi. And i believe it all comes from Kuina, from his belief that he could beat her and when she opened up on her insecurities of being a female swordswoman.
After getting past your perving, you made some great points. I've been training since I was a little kid so I'd never run into a situation where I couldn't protect my family. I never put 2 & 2 together until now but that's why I love Zoro so much. He's putting the burden of his loved ones safety on his shoulders and does everything in his power to make sure he's prepared to keep them safe when the time comes.
Thank you for this video! It's always great to see people truly understanding the complexity to Zoro's simplicity. It's frustrating how a lot of conversations about Zoro revolve around his physical strength when there are other aspects of his character that are just as interesting to examine.
This video makes me so happy because I've watched too many character analysis videos for my own good. But there's never been a good one on Zoro, as you said he's extremely misunderstood and bastardized by primarily male fans (and people who like more cliche anime). But I've always admired the "lowkey-ness" of him- and how he does these things with NO RECOGNITION every time. Maybe it's just a me thing, but it's always hard to do something and not get credit for it (but again maybe I'm just selfish or something). Zoro is actually true of heart, and honestly aspiring nothing beyond the ability to be relied on even if he isn't acknowledged for it. He doesn't shout about it like Luffy, nor does he say anything usually. It's his actions that show his strength is not used for clout or fear or self-reassurance but for his family.
I think the best way to describe zoro in a bit of depth is that he is simple in what his feelings on any matter is, the desires he holds, and how he intends to reach his desires but not because he's poorly written which he isnt but instead because he simply doesnt overthink things nor care to try to find quicker work arounds unless ABSOLUTELY necessary to protect others and even than he still prefers to brute force it if it only risks his life. one of the BIGGEST examples i can think of is when he asked mihawk to train him. there would likely be people curious why i call that a work around but the reason really is simple and is that he wanted to become the worlds greatest swordsman and be mihawk 1 on 1 with the power he has built himself to show he truly deserves the title of worlds greatest swordsman so having been trained by the man who he swore to beat is the epitome of admiting he couldnt do it and wasnt worthy of being called the worlds greatest swordsman but he didnt care and did it anyways because it was the only way that he could make sure luffy and the crew werent being held back by him as he sees it.
Zoro has, and will forever be, my favorite One Piece character. He just...I don't know. There is this concept in a lot of cultures, but the name of it that sticks out is "ikigai" from Japan. It basically means aligning your actions and talent with your life's purpose. Not only is it discovering what you are capable of and talented in, but to then match your abilities to your lifestyle and your life's work.
Zoro just fulfills his ikigai---he harmonizes what he believes in, what he feels, what he does physically, with the work that he does every single day. He's an extremely motivated individual. Yes, I can agree that his exercise habits lead me to believe he suffers from anxiety and probably PTSD, but instead of being crippled by his fear he harness it into action. He doesn't lay down and let the world eat him alive. Promises are important. Actions are important. Loyalty is absolute. Friendship the only damn thing worth living for.
Nakama isn't a word he bandies about---once you are nakama to him, you're it for life. And if Luffy can't get you out a bad situation, then ZORO will die trying.
I bet Zoro was REALLY anxious when he was fighting Tashigi!
An interesting thing to note is that when Zoro met kuina he was already in this obsessive search for strength.
Considering the information that Oda gave in an SBS that Zoro's parents died (The mother due to illness and the father in a pirate attack), I imagine that:
1- he was completely alone after their death
2- He blamed himself for their deaths, for not being strong enough to protect them. (Even though he was a child)
And that's why he went out challenging the strongest in each Dojo, because he had nowhere to go, and he was desperate to be stronger.
This video is so refreshing THANK YOU most Zoro videos are really like power scaling and describing him as a macho man with no fears when like! He has! He's human after all and his character is so fascinating to me, you've covered it really well and managed to put into words what I felt so thank you sm it was a really enjoyable watch! I'd like to see a Luffy character study from you I've seen so many vids about him but none Rlly felt right but I think you kind of get him and one piece as I do haha
6:00
I really like this part here about how the Strawhats are unique in that each member has their own individual dreams and that Zoro’s dream of becoming the best swordsman isn’t a self centered one but one for the protection/reliability of ensuring his crew mates can achieve their dreams.
Incredibly well made video, keep up the great work 👍!
As Zoro's canonical husband, thank you for this video.
Wait hes cheating on me??
@@StaleyFish can you blame him that EVERYONE want him?
@@user-odjdjkaka lol
@@StaleyFish BARK BARK HE'S MINE
damn, you made me learn more things about zoro than i knew before, despite him being one of my absolute favorites. 😭 this was a great video, thank you
I've Never Seen This Type Of Analysis On Zoro Before This Is Amazing Work
I am here for all of these hot takes. I've noticed the fear and anxiety zoro has with not being strong enough but...wow! Totally think you're right that the compulsive post-fight training is a means to both punish himself and an attempt to regain control. I think this might be why Luffy and Zoro are so close - and actually very alike. They both see themselves as protectors, refuse to lose anyone and would choose (in diff ways but equally recklessly) bodily harm if it means the crew is safe. Obvi Luffy's anxiety of strength is diff, I think he's much more optimistic, but he obvi can't handle being confronted with his weakness.(now I'm like "...is that friendship toxic??" 🥴). Ugh! Sooo juicy! It's a follow for me 💫
I think Zoro/luffy is meant to show that every character doesn't need the saddest backstory.
You can have bad moments like a friend dying. But not every backstory needs to be your entire country dying to some old man called Howard
Zoro is a friend that everyone wants , everyone wants him to win , doesn't matter how much we know about him .
You said that "there are so many Zoro videos out there" and I've seen plenty of them, but none was as actually(!) deep, from a psychological standpoint, as yours. Most of those videos go on full analysis mode stating what's already blatantly obvious, for example his strength and determination, without trying to dive deeper into why Zoro is the way he is. (and then our favorite Marimo is the one being accused for shallowness, huh... :/). By this point, I had lost all hope on a good Zoro video ever being produced, but then I noticed yours and from the title alone I kinda knew you were on to something, because that title felt like it expressed my subconsious thoughts, that I wasn't able to put into words, on this character. Then I watched the video and it was spot on and everything you said just clicked on my mind like " THAT'S IT!!YES THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!!" and it made me take a step back, take a deeper look at myself and reevaluate why I liked this character since I was a teenager so much and why I connected with him (i see parts of myself in him). So yeah that video left me with better understanding on the character and somewhat better understanding of myself too, lol. I also enjoyed the humorous bits! So yeah, you video felt so refreshing and definitely "threw something new into the mix"!! Great job!
I feel like you really hit the nail on the head with this. Great video! Zoro is definitely a favorite of mine but Oda just does such an amazing job with his characters and story it's hard not to love everyone.
LMAO I cant with the yaoi hints on this script lol
I love this tho cause even tho Zoro is simple he is not shallow! And theres many discussion you can get out of his character
And the way its handled is masterful! Cause its not in your face like we are ki da used to in anime, its subtle and you can search for the tiny details that form his personality all around the manga
I loved this video!
I've been watching and reading One Piece for years and Zoro was always in my top 2 favourites. Yet, this managed to give a new perspective on this character, and it makes perfect sense! Thank you, very nice video :]
Great analysis video back to back first Doffy and now Zoro
You just earned another subscriber
Zoro absolutely is an example of the epitomy of masculinity I would like to one day achieve.
Once had a collage of his journey from the first of the story and through his major battles up to where he was after the time skip.
Tried to use that as inspiration for myself.
Also had one of Koby.
Sadly it didn't work, but I still tried damnit!
I just caught up on the manga after slowly going through it for a year and your videos are so amazing
Your character analysis and use of examples in the story was great! Great job, I had a great time watching. You've captured the essence of Zoro well. I like hearing what people value in One Piece and doing deeper dives like this into a characters motivations and characteristics is refreshing. I'd like to hear what you think about the overall story.
i also love the kuma scene cause its the moment where he shows that he is ready to sacrifice his own dream to make sure his crew and luffy gets to survive. He showed sacrifice before but its the moment where its made evident for everyone
I’ve watched a lot of character analysis on these guys and you did phenomenal. I think it’s the best really patyourself on the back you got them both separately great and then you got the wings together. You hit the nail on the head with every point.
Another thing I noticed when someone pointed it out to me is how he laughs often pre-time skip and yet, after Zoro finds out about Ace’s death and his helplessness to do anything for his captain, he becomes almost solely no-nonsense. The only times he laughs become whenever he’s in a fight (and comparing himself to an animal) or rare moments of peace. It’s almost like he makes himself more of a weapon than a person.
I genuinely believe Sanji is Zoro's best friend. Not only because Sanji is Sanji and thus cares a lot about people but he genuinely seems to understand Zoro.
Deep down inside the male psyche they want to die for others and are afraid they will not be strong enough to be that hero… thus zoro is their #1 archetype … he delivers on this determination and for a hype moment where he can do what no one else can and in a cool pose
This
FACTSSSS
Zoro is what every man wants to be, the epitome of discipline, loyalty to the crew and himself and his goal of becoming the very best.
I think your video is great in the way that Zoro is the big brother to all the straw hats. You don't just see this with Chopper, but luffy and Sanji as well. All of Zoro's relationships with his found family are that of a big brother who puts on a hard face but has a soft heart for them. He guides Luffy like when he does not allow the crew to bring back Ussop willy nilly. He competes with Sanji in a sibling rivalry sort of way. He looks after Chopper who is the youngest. He bickers but respects Nami to a great extent. Zoro is the oldest(as in first) straw hat and will look after everyone else
THE MAN LITERALLY DIED, AND HIS SOUL GOT SO LOST GOING TO HEAVEN HE WOUND UP BACK IN HIS BODY
Now that I think about it everyone who knows or has heard of Zoro says how strong he is. Zoro tells himself he needs to become stronger. In the beginning Zoro joined Luffy as a means to an end. Now he’s committed to not only his Crew but their dreams. Zoro’s development as a character is subtle but it’s done well. As is this video.
There was this moment that very subtle about how much Zoro cares the crews..at Skypiea, Usopp was about to swim to the aaltar of sacrify to repair the damage of Merry Go..but Zoro warned him about the sky shark..looking the shark swim aggresively around them made Usopp aborted his intention and went back to the camp leaving Zoro there..there and that moment, Zoro was picking Usopp’s boots that he left behind..it really heart warming situation for me..
Keep the streak going Melon, i crave a stronger appreciation for what is one of my favorite shows of all time
zoro appearing in a classical greek painting: how the FUCK did i get here
I don't normally watch zoro analysis videos because I often feel like it boils down to a "zero very big and strong" bit almost never mention the times he's clearly struggled with his emotions. Also fewer that ever touch on the topic of his flaws, infact I think I've only ever seen two videos every even acknowledge that zoro isn't perfect that's why he's so interesting
Absolutely well done! This was a magnificent insight into my favorite character from One Piece and deserves a subscribe. Not just because you catered to my interests, but because you were able to do a clear and concise deep-dive on just ONE character from a massive roster of characters from the show. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of the anxiety of strength and how it shapes Zoro's actions throughout the story. Can't wait to see what's next for him!!
The most thing i love about zoro is that he always understood luffy while the other go screaming and throwing hands he always understood that when Luffy say something or do something there's a reason.
And since the beginning they both believed that the other will achieve his dream like Luffy saying anything less than the best swordsman in the world and i will be in trouble. He didn't doubt him and zoro calling him the pirate king since episode 24
i love your focus on literary analysis rather than powerscaling/theorizing like a lot of folk do. helps me appreciate the wonder in storytelling
After binging through your One Piece videos, this might be an odd request, but it would be cool to see you make a video on compassion and self-sacrifice in One Piece. Cause it has such a massive heart impact on the series, from Sanji giving food to Krieg’s pirates, to Usopp wanting to give his town another sleepy day despite a pirate attack, all the way back to Shank’s giving up his arm to save Luffy from the sea monster. A lot of people talk about the fights and the world building, and I love those aspects, but I don’t think we hear as much about how acts of kindness impact and move the story forward so drastically.
I’ve been enjoying these videos very much, thank you. These deep dives into the psychology of the straw hats has actually revealed things I hadn’t noticed in
my personal viewings and have added to my enjoyment of One Piece!!
Never forget that the promise he made to Luffy was that he would never lose again and that is a very tough burden to put on himself. It makes his loss to Kuma much more worse than the pain. Even though everyone was at their very limit after the events on thriller bark after fighting Oars among others, he blamed himself for being too weak
Love that we can all appreciate this juicy hunk of a man
I just made it past episode 400, and yeah, Sabaody gets fucking crazy, because literally everyone is exhausted from Thriller Bark, and then a fucking Admiral who moves at the speed of light shows up. This shits crazy.